Scarface review

*Scarface* is a 1983 film directed by Brian De Palma and starring Al Pacino. Without exaggeration, it's definitely one of my favorite gangster films. Since its release, it has become an absolute classic of crime cinema, not only for its iconic scenes but also for everything it represents thematically and culturally.

The story delves into the life of Tony Montana, a Cuban refugee who arrives in the United States during the Mariel boatlift hoping to build a better life. However, due to twists of fate—and his own decisions—he ends up becoming one of the biggest and most feared drug lords in Miami. Interestingly, the film doesn't romanticize his rise: from the beginning, Tony feels like a ticking time bomb, someone driven more by unbridled ambition than by a true vision for the future.

For me, this is one of Al Pacino's best performances. Tony Montana is an exaggerated, violent, and arrogant character, but at the same time, profoundly human. Pacino manages to show us all his layers: the rage, the pride, the insecurity, and the constant fear of losing the power he worked so hard to obtain. He's a character that stays with you, not only for his iconic lines but for the intensity with which he's portrayed.

I think I like *Scarface* so much because, beyond being a drug trafficking film full of guns, action, and death, it touches on themes that I find very interesting, especially loyalty. Furthermore, it addresses the history of Cubans in the United States, something that isn't so common in gangster films, which tend to focus more on Italian mafias. That context gives it its own identity and makes it different from many other films in the genre.

When I saw it for the first time, I didn't expect it to impact me so much. The ending, in particular, I find fascinating and brutal. The fact that Tony ends up killing the person who was with him from the beginning is very powerful. That's where the theme of loyalty comes into play: Tony kills him precisely for something he himself had previously disapproved of. It's a huge contradiction, but very realistic within that world, and it leaves a clear message about how moral codes become distorted when power and paranoia consume everything.

Tony Montana's death is one of those memorable deaths in cinema. For me, it clearly represents that those who enter that dirty, rotten business almost never get out alive. The film leaves no room for illusions: success is temporary and the fall is inevitable. Of course, there are films that show exceptions, like *The Irishman*, but in general, gangster films tend to agree on this idea: the price of power is always too high.

It's also one of those films that, although very entertaining and enjoyable, leaves you thinking. They show how these characters can have money, luxuries, and excesses, but in the end, none of that pays for what really matters: life, peace of mind, and human relationships. Tony has it all, and yet he ends up completely alone.

Tony Montana is an extremely complex character, especially because of his ambition and narcissism, which likely serve as a facade to hide his insecurity and constant fear of being a nobody. He also commits one of the worst mistakes a mob boss can make: using the drugs he sells. This leads him to make impulsive, quick, and increasingly violent decisions. His downfall is not only external but also internal.

In that sense, *Scarface* not only shows the rise and fall of a gangster but also how unchecked ambition can destroy an entire empire from within. It's an excessive, intense, and sometimes uncomfortable film, but that's precisely where its strength lies.

Out of 10, I give *Scarface* an 8. It's not a perfect film: it has narrative gaps and isn't for everyone. Even so, it's a seminal work of gangster cinema and definitely a film you shouldn't miss. I highly recommend it.